text:
Earlier this week I decided to cancel my Comcast (CMCSA) subscriptions, switching instead to Covad’s ADSL2 service, which is faster, for now. I didn’t even think twice about switching off my cable service, because frankly with the exception of baseball games and ESPN, I didn’t really watch regular old TV, opting instead to buy videos on the iTunes store or watch DVDs from NetFlix (NFLX).
Apparently, I am not in the minority. A new IBM (IBM) survey of consumer digital media and entertainment habits shows that personal Internet time now rivals TV time.
About 19 percent of those who responded to the survey said they spend six hours or more per day on personal Internet usage, vs. 9 percent who reported the same levels of TV viewing. 66 percent reported viewing between one and four hours of TV per day compared with 60 percent who reported the same levels of personal Internet usage.
“Consumers are demonstrating their desire for both wired and wireless access to content: An average of 81 percent of consumers surveyed globally indicated they’ve watched or want to watch PC video, and an average of 42 percent indicated they’ve watched or want to watch mobile video,” said Bill Battino, communications sector managing partner in IBM’s global business services group.
While the findings shouldn’t come as a surprise to our readers, it is important to point out that the video market is going through a shift similar to what happened in the mobile world when kids started replacing their landline phones with mobiles because of the portability. As more and more people want their video portable, a comparable change is occurring in the video world. Saul Berman, who focuses on entertainment strategy and change at IBM, noted:
“The Internet is becoming consumers’ primary entertainment source. The TV is increasingly taking a back seat to the cell phone and the personal computer among consumers age 18 to 34. Just as the ‘Kool Kids’ and ‘Gadgetiers'(1) have replaced traditional landlines with mobile communications, cable and satellite TV subscriptions risk a similar fate of being replaced as the primary source of content access.”
Other key findings of the survey:
* 24 percent of U.S. respondents reported owning a DVR in their home and watching at least 50 percent of television programming on replay.
* In the UK, nearly a third of users who watch mobile TV reduced their standard TV set viewing patterns as a result of new mobile device services.
* In Germany, of those respondents who had watched mobile video, 23 percent said they prefer to view user-generated content.
* 9 percent of German and 7 percent of U.S. respondents claim to have contributed to a user-generated content site
29 thoughts on “Surprise Surprise…TV Viewing Is Declining”
I think television still has one advantage over Internet TV (not that I watch the boob toob anymore) — that people can turn it on and just have it on. They’ll consume whatever is in front of them. They don’t have to search for it. (Or maybe I’m discounting the power of channel surfing?)
It’s much more passive than Internet TV, where nothing ‘just comes to you’. It’s not about Channels. It’s about individual shows. Or even smaller individual 2 minute videos. It’s really hard to just sit down and watch. Even Joost doesn’t surmount that issue yet.
It’s going to be interesting to see how that plays out. Will TV in 5 years look like On Demand? Or will it look like the Miro? Or are they even that different now?
However, one would expect the IBM consumer survey study results to be slightly skewed towards heavy Internet users — considering that they are based on a 40-item Internet questionnaire!
I wouldn’t be so sure about TV viewing declining, particularly when relying on self-reported data, which tends to significantly understate the amount that the average person watches. There is a stigma associated with TV viewing that doesn’t really exist to the same degree for internet usage–this tends to skew the results of surveys of this type.
The study was more about TV as the primary media device, not so much as to what types of content they are watching.
People are watching media on their computers and mobile devices, which is taking away from time in front of the TV set. This shouldn’t really be a surprise, as there are a lot more options today for where you can watch your media.
who the hell watches 6 hours or more of TV per day?
To Frank: while a lot of people are watching youtube on the Internet, not a lot of people are watching TV via the internet. And mobile devices? Please!! I’m the only person I’ve ever seen watching video content on their iPhone (and I see a LOT of iPhones in San Francisco). Mobile? Verizon’s VCast is so insignificant Verizon doesn’t even mention it in its latest quarterly report.
Nielsen’s data on this is predictably a bit different. They do agree internet usage is rising, but if you read the story above, IBM didn’t say 19% were watching TV on the Internet 6 hours a day, they just said 19% are using the Internet 6 hours a day. E-mail, IMing, reading blogs…all things you can do with the TV on.
I did the same thing almost a year ago. Ditched the Dish Network box and replaced it with a Mac Mini. The money saved on Dish paid for the Mini in 10 months, and I never looked back. Lifes too short to channel surf. I follow one or two good shows at a time, the rest of the time I’m too busy to just sit and watch any bs that’s on.
In the bad old days of communism, people had no shopping choice. they stood in long queues to buy bread or cheese or vodka, from government owned stores, offering no choice in brands, no discounts, no surprises…no fun. And then , with the collapse of communism, supermarkets happened. Broadcast TV meets the same fate with the coming of broadband. And exactly like in supermarkets, people will build blind trails to their most frequented alleys. They will find favorites in sports, or music, or news, or social networking or whatever else they wish to haul onto their trolley for the evening. Search engines can come handy, but only when looking for something out of the ordinary. Favorites will rule normally. But is there no catch ? Well, there is – the bandwidth. It will take the next decade before broadband replaces broadcast…note that it has taken comparable time for phones. The Negroponte switch will probably partially flip again (everything becomes wireless, and on-demand), but then only in the next decade.


text:
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has published the first draft of a specification that will be used to introduce an electronic payments system that leverages both mobile payments and Aadhaar, India’s biometrics-based ID system. “This Unified Payment Interface document provides a payments architecture that is directly linked to achieving the goals of universal electronic payments, a less cash society and financial inclusion using the latest technology trends,” NPCI says.
- ABN Amro pilots wearable payments with select customers
- Danske Bank brings Apple Pay to customers in Northern Ireland
- Dankort gets lockscreen mobile payments and Touch ID support
- Punchh brings Apple Pay to restaurant loyalty program
- East London gets local currency built on the blockchain

domain: news


text:
The wireless device maker announced Wednesday that its Voq phones, targeted at businesspeople, will feature a keypad, a flip-open keyboard, an OS navigation system and automatically updated e-mail capabilities. The first Voq phones will use GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) and GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) cellular technology and will be available to consumers through carriers in the first half of next year. The phones will use Intel 200MHz PXA262 processors with 48MB of memory.
"Microsoft is trying to get as many vendors as possible, but it will be tough for them to get any other tier one vendors (outside of Motorola) since many of the big ones are supporting Symbian," Burden said.
Larry Zibrik, product line manager at Sierra, said that Microsoft's Smartphone OS was an attractive option because of the familiarity information technology managers have with the software giant's e-mail Exchange system.
"We wanted to hit a certain level of comfort for e-mail with IT managers," Zibrik said. "They are very familiar with Microsoft on the back end, because many of them are using Exchange, so we picked what fit our customer the best."
Microsoft representatives were not available for comment.
Burden said that if devices that use the Smartphone OS garner a consumer following, the operating system has a better chance of attracting larger phone makers.
last month, shortly after announcing it would , so that it would have more freedom to work with developers of other operating systems. Symbian is a smart-phone operating system owned by cell phone giants Nokia, Siemens, Panasonic, Samsung and Sony Ericsson, among others. Britain-based Symbian has the leading share of the smart-phone operating system market. Motorola is Microsoft's highest-profile handset partner to date.
Nokia announced Wednesday that it has completed the purchase of 13.2 percent of Motorola's Symbian shares, while Psion purchased the remaining shares, 5.8 percent. Nokia's stake in Symbian increased from 19 percent to 32.2 percent.
Many OS developers and phone makers are hoping the smart-phone market will flourish as new high-speed data networks begin to crop up. Smart phones claimed about 1.7 percent of the worldwide cell phone market in the second quarter of 2003. Nokia was the leader in smart phones, with 1.2 million units shipped. Sony Ericsson was in second place, with 200,000 units shipped.
to 118.3 million units compared with the same period a year ago, as phone makers added features such as built-in cameras and color displays, according to IDC.


text:
Britain's departure from the EU created a new trade regime for British businesses. A honey seller describes her importing experience.
It's a sign that Americans have money to spend on consumer goods and businesses are importing parts for things they'll sell to consumers.
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach handled record amounts of imports in August. Meanwhile, warehouse rents increased by 10% from this time last year.
Trucking volume offers a glimpse into consumer demand today, and what that demand might look like down the road.
According to one farmer, the "new NAFTA" spells disastrous consequences for her family's business.
Spartanburg, South Carolina, had “white hot” growth before the taxes, councilman says.
The Senate will vote on confirming three new board members who would enable the Export-Import Bank to perform its full mission. Click the audio player above to hear the full story.
A 2016 law that allows goods from abroad to enter the U.S. duty free as long as they are valued at $800 or less has opened up the door to more counterfeiters.
Prices for U.S. softwood lumber have jumped since tariffs against Canadian lumber took effect last year.


text:
Celebrity Cruises announced it will change the ship sailing summer cruises from St. Maarten.
An email sent to travel agents on Thursday indicated Celebrity Millennium will be swapped out for July and August sailings with Celebrity Summit.
This change does not affect the first sailings on Celebrity Millennium beginning this weekend.
Why the change? The recent bill which was signed into U.S. law to allow cruise ships to visit Alaska this year is the reason.
According to Celebrity, the legislation inadvertently listed the Celebrity Cruises ships originally scheduled to sail in Alaska, which did not include Celebrity Summit.


text:
The soaring vape industry in the UK – The facts which are proof to the growth
For the travelers who are looking forward to a summer escape, what to carry in your bags is definitely a reason of stress. While packing e-cigarettes can land you up in jail in few countries, at the same time spending on them is globally increasing, especially in the UK. According to e-cigarettereviewsuk.co.uk, there are several proofs behind the sudden growth and popularity of the vape industry in UK. Do you want to know some such statistics which are clear evidence of this burgeoning industry? Read on.
#1: Vaping has gotten popular rapidly
As per the latest data released by the WHO (World Health Organization), there has always been a steady yet small increase in the predicted number of smokers throughout the globe since 2012. But when it comes to vaping, the matter is totally different. The total numbers of vapers have been rapidly increasing from 12 million in 2012 to 35 million in 2017. By the year 2021, the total number of adults vaping will reach a 60 million. Doesn’t that prove the growth?
#2: Expenditure on vape pens and e-cigs are also growing
The electronic cigarette market is expanding and the number of vapers will also increase. The vapour products is predicted to be worth $23 billion, which is up from $4.3 billion just 5 years ago. Japan, United States and definitely the UK are the biggest markets for electronic cigarettes. More and more people are spending money on smokeless tobacco to be able to live healthy.
#3: Majority e-cigarettes are bought over the stores
Majority of the electronic cigarette users purchase their vape pens and other devices from the shops of specialists, as per reports published by Ernst & Young. In the year 2016, 40% of the electronic cigarette users who were questioned across France, UK, Poland, Germany, Russia, Italy and South Korea bought their electronic devices from electronic cigarette shops.
#4: The reason behind vaping is purely healthy
The most common reason for utilizing an electronic cigarette is that they’re much less harmful and toxic than the regular tobacco cigarettes. Almost 50% of the daily users reported that they switched to vaping just because they were trying hard to curtail their smoking habit. As e-cigarettes are way less harmful than tobacco cigarettes, this is encouraging people to take up vaping and ditch smoking.
Therefore, if you’re not being able to bid goodbye to smoking, try and vape as this is much less harmful for your health.


text:
Nintendo’s kart racer now supports their imaginative new cardboard accessory.
In a totally unexpected pleasant surprise, Nintendo has released a brand new update for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which adds Labo compatibility to the game. Specifically, with Toy Con 01 (the Variety Kit), where one of the things you can make for yourself is a motorcycle handle, with the Switch seated in the middle of it- is the configuration that now supports Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
You can watch the video Nintendo also released to figure out how that might work. Apart from the Labo support, the new patch also adds some other minor updates and fixes to the game. Nothing too major, really- Labo is the big takeaway here.
It adds yet another way to enjoy what is already a very enjoyable game on the Switch, and one of the best titles on the platform. If you own a Switch and haven’t bought Mario Kart 8 Deluxe already, now will be the best time to go and get it- even without Labo, it stands as a modern multiplayer classic everyone could stand to have for their libraries.


text:
After a rather big success in its launch day on March 16 for several major countries, including the US, with the reported sales of over 3 million devices sold for the first few days since the initial launch, the new iPad is now officially on shelves for 25 additional countries across the globe. These countries include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
The new iPad, which was announced recently on Apple’s event at the Yerba Buena Center for Arts in San Francisco, is already acknowledged as the best selling iPad yet, up to now. The new device has been anticipated by many folks for its advanced but rather predictable new features. With a brand new screen technology, boasting a “retina” quality display at 2048 x 1536 pixels, an improved camera, powered by a quad-core GPU inside the latest A5X chip, plus already built-in is the support for LTE (4G) technology, and several more improvements.
As usual, even with those improvements, there isn’t any major price change for the new line-up, especially for the WiFi-only version. Available from $499 to $829, depending on the storage capacity and the availability of 4G support. It is also expected that we will see this amazing tablet available to even more countries later in this year.


text:
David Beckham will produce a docuseries about the feud between the sports brands Adidas and Puma, Deadline writes on Thursday.
The three-part series, called World War Shoe , is about the years of quarrel between the brothers Adi and Rudi Dassler, who set up rival clothing brands in the same small German village. The two faced each other and were unable to resolve their argument even after forty years.
Philip Boatswain, of Stealing Charlie Chaplin fame , is directing the series. Beckham is involved through his production company Studio 99, which was founded in 2019. The former top football player already announced at the time that he wanted to make documentaries, television shows and other media formats with his company.
It was also announced earlier that Studio 99 will collaborate with Uninterrupted, the media company co-founded by basketball player LeBron James. Together they make a documentary about the new football club Inter Miami CF, of which Beckham is also co-owner.


text:
Dubai : Even as Coolpad rolled out a power-packed mid-budget 'Cool Play 6' smartphone targeting gamers over the last weekend, the Chinese... ...http://www.sify.com/finance/changing-smartphone-users-our-key-priority-in-india-coolpad-news-equity-rixnEbahdhegh.html
In the wake of the Galaxy Note 7, which was discontinued in 2016, Samsung is aiming high with its Galaxy Note 8, which is due to be presented... ...http://www.dnaindia.com/technology/report-galaxy-note-8-to-launch-tonight-a-look-back-on-the-turbulent-history-of-samsung-s-smartphone-series-2538750
New Delhi: BlackBerry devices, initially manufactured by Canada-based Research In Motion (RIM), slipped into oblivion as iPhones and Android... ...http://www.sify.com/finance/tech-review-blackberry-keyone-android-qwerty-experience-adds-to-the-nostalgia-news-smartphone-reviews-ritmDWagbfdef.html
Coolpad has announced Cool M7, the company’s latest mid-range smartphone in China. It packs a 5.5-inch 1080p screen, is powered by an... ...http://www.fonearena.com/blog/227373/coolpad-cool-m7-with-5-5-inch-1080p-display-snapdragon-625-6-9mm-slim-metal-body-announced.html
HMD Global have revealed their most awaited flagship device, the Nokia 8. It is the fourth ‘Nokia’ branded Android device from HMD... ...http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/trakin/~3/dh-x7G5efOU/
Xiaomi Mi 4i to get a Snapdragon 808
Snapdragon 820 Geek Bench 3 Crack...


text:
2012 has been recognised as the International Year of Co-operatives by the United Nations. This is an acknowledgement by the international community that co-operatives drive the economy, respond to social change, are resilient to the global economic crisis and are serious, successful businesses creating jobs in all sectors.
IYC Coop’ Art Competition Are you 16 – 35? Are you passionate about co-operatives? Do you have an artistic flare? The ICA are launching a global artistic competition designed to encourage young people to creatively express their views on co-operative principles


text:
Formica Corporation has announced the opening of the 2023 FORM Student Innovation Competition. This annual competition invites architecture and interior design students in the U.S., Canada and, new this year, Mexico, to showcase their creativity through original furniture designs that feature Formica Brand products.
This year’s challenge asks students to submit a color rendering and project statement for a furniture design that interprets the student’s concept of maximalism. The “new maximalism” revolves around maximum color, painterly print and rich textures. It allows a space for expressing individuality and unique perspectives. Students are asked to use their creativity when defining what maximalism means to them, which could be furniture with multiple patterns, unique architectural shapes or bold, saturated colors that draw the eye.
Student submissions must include three or more Formica or FENIX Brand products, including at least one from the SurfaceSet 2022 collection by Formica Corporation. They will have the chance to win cash prizes and national recognition and have their work showcased at NeoCon 2023. The competition is open from Sept. 1, 2022, through March 6, 2023, with winners announced in April 2023. A distinguished panel of industry and design professionals will judge the student submissions.
“Each year, we continue to be impressed by the unparalleled originality and inventiveness students bring to this competition,” says Renee Hytry Derrington, managing principal of North American design at Formica Corporation. “We are incredibly excited to announce the expansion of the competition into Mexico, growing its international presence and celebrating innovative designs from the next generation across more of North America.”
The grand prizewinner will receive a $2,000 cash award and their design will be fabricated and displayed during NeoCon 2023 in Chicago. The second-place winner will be awarded $1,000 and the third-place winner will receive $500. The top three winners also will be invited to attend NeoCon as guests of Formica Corporation for the opportunity to network with industry professionals and get a taste of the design community.
Inspired by the creativity of design icons
The FORM Student Innovation Competition is inspired by the original iteration of this challenge held in 2008, when the company invited 10 world-renowned designers and architects—including Jaime Velez, Zaha Hadid, Michael Graves, Bernard Tschumi and Massimo Vignelli, among others—to create works of art from Formica Brand products. Their designs, which ranged from domestic pieces to conceptual sculptures, were then exhibited at the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati.
In the spirit of the original challenge, the 2023 FORM Student Innovation Competition invites the next generation of designers to express their creativity in these original furniture designs, showing attention to detail, inventive design and a unique point of view.
Entries accepted Sept. 1, 2022, through March 6, 2023


text:
AMD today released its completely reimagined graphics software suite, Radeon Software Crimson Edition, giving users an exceptional new user experience, 12 new or enhanced features, up to 20 percent more graphics performance, adjustability that can nearly double generational energy efficiency2, and rock-solid stability across the full spectrum of AMD graphics products. The release is the first from the Radeon Technologies Group, which recently announced a renewed focus on software placing it on par with hardware initiatives.
"As the primary way that people interact with our products, our software deserves to be viewed as a top priority, and going forward that's exactly what we're doing, delivering easy-to-use software that is packed with real user benefits, starting with Radeon Software Crimson Edition," said Raja Koduri, senior vice president and chief architect, Radeon Technologies Group. "Radeon Technologies Group is laser-focused on the vertical integration of all things graphics, propelling the industry forward by driving performance per watt, creating innovative technologies and ensuring that the software supporting our GPUs is world class."
Radeon Software Crimson Edition includes:
- Radeon Settings - A new, streamlined user interface: Engineered to get the best performance on AMD graphics hardware, the user-friendly and feature-rich Radeon Settings is lightning fast, starting up 10 times faster3 and initializing displays 3 times faster4 than the AMD Catalyst driver. It also offers a more intuitive navigation, a new game manager, new overdrive, and new video, display and AMD Eyefinity technology sections letting users easily apply game settings, adjust performance settings, and apply various features and configurations to their computing experience.
- 12 new or enhanced features: A wide range of new and augmented capabilities help ensure that users enjoy the best experience possible across gaming, video and productivity applications.
- Supercharged performance and energy efficiency: Radeon Software Crimson Edition enables up to 33 percent faster game load times5, up to 20 percent more game performance, and up to 1.8 times more energy efficiency capability2 than its predecessor which can increasing system performance-per-watt by as much as 23 percent.6
- First public support of AMD LiquidVR technology: GCN's Asynchronous Compute Engine helps to dramatically improve frames per second (FPS), responsiveness and latency in Virtual Reality applications for an exceptionally smooth gaming experience on all GCN-based hardware.
- Seamless stability: With twice the number of test cases across 15 percent more system configurations than AMD Catalyst Omega, and the implementation of a huge number of community-driven requests, Radeon Software Crimson Edition delivers exceptional stability across a range of experiences.
Last updated: Apr 7, 2020 at 12:10 pm CDT


text:
In a recent survey conducted by SmartChoice.pk about broadband internet service, 62% Pakistanis responded they ask their friends when they want to switch to a new service provider. Recommendations from known people play a significant role in forming positive or negative image about the internet service and whether they would test it out or not. 41% said they visit websites of the broadband companies, 32.5% search about them on Google and 23.8% look for information over social media.
This is significant because 44.4% respondents said they would change their service provider if they come across a better deal. In terms of numbers this is huge because only 3.3% have tested all companies and there is plenty for them to find out by asking experiences of other people. It also means that 38.4% customers who are currently satisfied may not remain so in future and knowing bad experiences of other people might prevent them from every reaching out to the service providers. Whatever the case, about 10% customers are unhappy with their current service would switch to another broadband company in near future.
With explosion of mobile broadband and falling prices of internet packages, consumers are getting more Fast and Furious on Steroids? #DoDAnon Exposes the Pohlad Shell Game and @AmyKlobuchar’s Missing Billions. #GreatAwakening | SGT Report dbol oral anabolic steroids mechanism of action, anabolic-androgenic steroids demanding and service providers have to stay one step ahead to retain their subscribers.
Those who want to switch, a comprehensive comparison can help make the smart choice.


text:
A new start
Beautifying, eating out among reintroduced Town biz re-openings
Knox County Health Department had announced a three-phase COVID-Reopening Plan earlier in the week, allowing for restaurants to re-open at 50 percent capacity, and personal care salons to operate a strict “one-on-one” policy to limit physical interactions.
Farragut Mayor Ron Williams spot-checked five businesses Thursday, April 30, ensuring compliance with the Knox County Health Department’s guidelines, including Water Into Wine bistro & lounge, Sam & Andy’s-West, Jet’s Pizza, Little Joe’s Pizza and La Parilla Cantina Mexican Kitchen.
“(Water Into Wine owner Candace Viox) covered everything she’s supposed to cover 100 percent,” Williams said.
Of the other restaurants, the mayor said he, “found they had the same amount of preparedness. ... All had 97 or higher on their health scores.”
Phil Dangel, owner of The Shrimp Dock, with locations in Farragut and Bearden, opened his restaurant Friday.
“We only had three tables open (on Friday) because we’re small, and they were filled,” he said. “... We did a lot of take-outs, but we didn’t do a lot of inside seating, and that’s fine with us.
“We have survived, and we expect a big Mother’s Day, and we’re ready for it,” Dangel added. “We thank Farragut for their support.”
I Love Juice Bar — from Luna Arlington, associate (employee):
“We have more customers coming in than we did. It was already going back to normal on Friday, too,” Arlington said.
Debi Tuttle, owner of Town Framery & Gifts, 12814 Kingston Pike, Farragut, opened her business Monday, May 4.
“We’ve actually been steady,” she said. “People are coming back … can’t complain.”
About waiting until Monday, “We just spent last week just getting ready,” Tuttle said.
Seasons Innovative Bar & Grille, 11605 Parkside Drive, also opened Monday.
“We just opened yesterday, and we have all our procedures in place,” Certified Executive Chef Deron Little, owner of Seasons and Kitchen 919 (downtown Knoxville), said Tuesday, May 5. “Last night, we had a nice night. ... Dinner (Tuesday) should be busy, I hope.
“With our patio, we expect the night should be steady for us, and our delivery and pick-up food has picked up also,” Little added.
Additionally, he is continuing his curbside service. “We are, obviously (at only) 50 percent capacity. No one at the bar, and we have many, many systems set up to sanitize menus. And we’re taking temperatures before people (both employees and customers) come in the door,” Little said.
The Davis Family Y along Northshore Drive reopened Friday with a 45-minute limit on workouts and requirements for members and employees to wear masks.
“There are a lot of restrictions we have had to follow, but we are just glad to be open again,” Senior Program director Steve Barnas said.
Susan Philipson, who works in health and wellness at the facility, was hard at work wiping down and sanitizing an array of treadmills, with every other one restricted from use to maintain social distance requirements.
Weight classes and chair yoga were among those resuming.
Great Clips along Brooklawn Street re-opened Friday.
“The customers have really been great about the wait,” said Sara Sutherland, director of operations for East Tennessee, helping schedule clientele who were looking at as much as three-hour wait times due to the restrictions on how many individuals could be inside the salon at a time.
The Embroidery Boutique along Brooklawn also reopened, with owner Debby Funk — who had been featured on Knox County Commissioner at-large Larson Jay’s e-mailed constituent update earlier in the day — relaying she was “very excited to be back. We were considered a non-essential business, so we basically had to shut our doors,” Funk said. “But starting out, I’m going to limit the customers to two at a time.”
The Adorable Child consignment shop also re-opened May 1.
“We were closed for five weeks and had to furlough our whole team,” co-owner Brad Hobbs said. “We tried to sell things online, but it just was not the same.
“... We are also offering shopping by appointments for those who would prefer to have the store to themselves,” he added.
However, Pamela Milliken, proprieter for Zaxby’s at 11636 Parkside Drive, said she wanted to wait at least two weeks.
“We’re not comfortable,” she noted, adding she wanted to make sure the restaurant was compliant with all guidelines.
Sam Gordon, owner of Go Dance – Dance Studio. 1705 Schaeffer Road in West Knoxville, said his studio is not open yet. (Go Dance is a ballroom-style dance studio)
“We felt that, for one, it was a little too soon; and, two, because of our type of business there’s no way to social distance and social dance,” he added. “We took a survey of all of our clients, and they all said they would feel more comfortable waiting until June. So, we are currently hoping to open on June 1, depending on how things go between now and then.”


text:
Local garden centers are scrambling to fulfill online orders as they shift from being primarily retail locations where customers come in and pick out flowers and shrubs, to a an online ordering experience with contactless curbside pickup and home deliveries of annuals, perennials, herbs and vegetable plants.
"We have been set up to do online shopping for several years, but now, this has exceeded everything we ever imagined," said David Bates, owner of Bates Nursery and Garden Center.
Bates Nursery started pushing online ordering and curbside pickup when the coronavirus "safe at home" orders stymied foot traffic to his Whites Creek Pike nursery.
"It is very labor intensive," Bates said. "We have had so many orders that we are sometimes up to a four-day wait" between the time a customer orders and when they can make a pickup.
Bates Nursery has been receiving about 70 online orders a day, compared to this time last year when they might have gotten two online orders in a week, Bates said.
Beth Hewitt, at Hewitt Garden and Design Center in Franklin, agreed online ordering has been instantly popular with customers who want to keep their distance but are eager to tackle some landscaping projects.
"People are wanting to get out in their yards, and this is our time of year to sell," she said. "We are getting 40-50 orders a day. Most of them are things like a flat of this, three geraniums and a bag of potting soil. Not huge orders but still, I am so thankful for the business."
"Our customers are loving it. Some of them are getting their second or third orders for delivery or pickup," she said. "We have 12 greenhouses full of annuals, and our tropicals are coming in."
Are you ready to get your green thumb busy? Here's where to go:
Bates Garden Center remains open to walk-in traffic between noon and 4 p.m., but there is a limit to the number of shoppers allowed on the 3-acre property. No children or pets are allowed.
Bates reassigned much of his retail workforce to pull orders for the online customers.
Because it is so labor intensive to fill all of the orders, he said there is a $25 minimum purchase on online orders.
Bates has gotten the word out about the online ordering and curbside pickup primarily through his weekly newsletter, which has 17,000 subscribers. He said that there has been a learning curve, but "we seem to be getting up to speed."
Details: Bates Nursery is at 3810 Whites Creek Pike, 615-876-1014. Order at www.batesnursery.com.
Hewitt Garden Center
Hewitt Garden and Design Center in Franklin remains open to walk-in shoppers but also offers curbside pickup and delivery. Delivery is free to 37069 and 37027 zip codes and $35-$65 for delivery to other locations.
When you know what you want, email your order to [email protected]. Then garden center staff will check what is available and email back a receipt. You pay over the phone, and they will let you know when to pickup, usually within 24 hours.
Pickup times are 7:30-8:30 a.m. or after 4 p.m. Hewitt also offers some after-hours shopping by appointment.
Details: Hewitt is at 2525 Hillsboro Road in Franklin; www.hewittgc.com or 615-661-6767
Moore & Moore
At Moore & Moore in Bellevue, owner Duncan Borders has closed his business to walk-in traffic, offering curbside pickup and delivery on orders made online or by phone.
"We are trying to push people to order online because the phones have been jammed," he said.
Customers order and pay online. The garden center staff will pull the order and call you when it's ready, usually 24-48 hours after placing the order.
Border said his company has gotten the word out about the curbside pickup and delivery options primarily through social media. There is no charge or minimum for the curbside orders. Delivery fees vary by zip code.
Details: Moore & Moore is located at 8216 Highway 100. Order at 615-662-8849 or www.mooreandmoore.com.
Gardens of Babylon
Gardens of Babylon at the Nashville Farmers Market, has stopped walk-in shopping but welcomes online orders. Place orders at www.gardensofbabylon.com (click “Online Garden Center”) for curbside contactless pick-up or local delivery.
Orders will be ready for pick-up within 48 hours, depending on demand, and customers will receive an email notification when their order is ready. Curbside pick-up times are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday through Friday, and noon to 4 p.m.on Saturdays. Delivery within 30 miles is available for a fee.
Details: Gardens of Babylon, 900 Rosa Parks Blvd. at Nashville Farmers Market, www.gardensofbabylon.com
Reach Ms. Cheap at 615-259-8282 or [email protected]. Follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/mscheap, and at Tennessean.com/mscheap, and on Twitter @Ms_Cheap, and catch her every Thursday at 11 a.m. on WTVF-Channel 5’s “Talk of the Town.”


text:
EADS, Tenn., Aug. 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — via IBN – Graphene technology licensing company Avadain took first place in the prestigious KingsCrowd early-stage company pitch competition. KingsCrowd, with 420,000 users, is the leader in crowdfunding analytics and enabling informed investments in the startup ecosystem.
KingsCrowd selected three exceptional companies with live crowdfunding campaigns on Netcapital, StartEngine and Wefunder. Avadain emerged as the undisputed champion, solidifying its position as a top choice among crowdfunding investors.
“We are humbled to be selected by the KingsCrowd community as the No. 1 company currently crowdfunding,” said Avadain’s CEO Brad Larschan. “We are delighted to have more than 70 KingsCrowd users currently investing in Avadain and we are looking forward to welcoming many more.”
Avadain’s presentation captivated the audience and judges alike, showcasing the potential that high-quality graphene has in sparking a new industrial revolution. Graphene is the lightest, strongest, most thermally and electricity conducting material ever discovered. “High-quality graphene is poised to disrupt dozens of industries and transform thousands of products,” Larschan observed.
Avadain’s globally patented, green manufacturing technology produces large, thin and nearly defect-free graphene flakes, which have the potential to redefine industries such as renewable energy, energy storage, aerospace, defense, health care and more.
The KingsCrowd pitch competition victory comes only days after Avadain surpassed $2M in its crowdfunding round on Netcapital. “We are committed to graphene’s potential to make the world a cleaner, healthier and more prosperous place,” Larschan concluded.
For more information about Avadain’s high-quality graphene and its pioneering advancements, please visit: https://netcapital.com/companies/avadain
Avadain’s disruptive green technology produces the high-quality graphene industry needs to meet pent-up demand in a $100B market. Globally patented. Panasonic backed. Federal grant. No known competitors. Graphene is poised to revolutionize the world, making it cleaner, healthier and more prosperous.
Wire Service Contact:
Los Angeles, California


text:
And just how legitimate is it, you might ask? Well Danoo, one of the larger "hyperlocal" networks in the US today, would tell you the following, if today's press release is anything to go on:
I don't really know anything about advertising network TV shows, but I'd have to imagine that now's a better time to do it than any time in the past two decades. One of the big benefits of digital out-of-home advertising is that you can include a call to action and encourage viewers to complete a specific act. For advertising-funded networks this might typically be in the form of a "buy now" type message, since the advertisements are usually for products sold in store. However, TV networks have always had a bigger challenge: they need to communicate the benefits of the program being advertised, encourage the viewer to watch the program, and then hope that the viewer makes it out of the store, all the way back home, and then remembers to turn on the right channel at the right time.
The Arbitron research focused on audience reaction to on-screen ad campaigns, including one for the Sony Pictures feature film “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.” Most significantly, the study determined that viewers’ intent to see the movie more than doubled, from 19 to 45 percent. Results also indicated that one in four viewers recalled the ad, and all people responding to the survey were six times more likely to name “Nick and Norah” as a newly-released movie.In two Danoo research studies tracking recent campaigns for the Fox Networks television shows “Fringe” and “House,” the company found similar levels of audience engagement. Advertisements on Danoo’s network drove a 50 percent increase in aided awareness for the new show “Fringe,” and intent to view nearly tripled (from 7 percent to 19 percent) among people watching the screen. Even with an already-popular show like “House,” Danoo’s advertisements drove a 25 percent increase in intent to watch among their audiences.
Today, though, all the viewer really has to remember is the name of the show being advertised. Then, with a quick trip to the web he or she could pull up the network's website and start streaming the episode (for most major network shows, anyway). That removes a lot of detail from the recall process -- there's just one thing to recall instead of three -- and it also removes the timeliness since viewers can stream network TV over the Internet at any time of day and any day of the week.
Tags: digital signage, advertising, danoo


text:
President Donald Trump has publicly blamed the Federal Reserve's interest rates hikes for holding back U.S. economic growth.The Fedread more
China's President Xi Jinping arrived in Pyongyang on Thursday morning for a state visit to North Korea — the first by a Chinese state leader in 14 years. Experts say the move...Asia Politicsread more
Gold prices spiked in the afternoon of Asian trading hours on Thursday after a dovish U.S Federal Reserve opened the door to further rate cuts, and the 10-year Treasury yield...Metalsread more
The Fed came very close to promising a rate cut Wednesday, and now markets are focused on a possible July rate cut.Market Insiderread more
Waymo has signed a deal with Renault and Nissan to develop self-driving cars and trucks for use in France, Japan and possibly other countries in Asia, including China, the...Autosread more
"No U.S. drone was operating in Iranian airspace today," a U.S. Central Command spokesman said, according to NBC News.World Politicsread more
The Fed left interest rates unchanged at its monetary policy meeting. The U.S. central bank did, however, drop the word "patient " from its statement and said it would "act as...Asia Marketsread more
As the presidents of U.S. and China near a highly anticipated meeting on trade, the gap in both sides' expectations regarding a deal remains wide.World Politicsread more
Markets had expected the central bank to keep its benchmark interest rate steady while setting up a cut at the July meeting.The Fedread more
The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell below 2% for the first time since November 2016 on Wednesday.Bondsread more
Powell said policymakers are concerned about some of the recent economic developments and see a growing case for easier policy.The Fedread more
The crisis surrounding Hanjin Shipping has rocked the industry, but even more shipping lines could find themselves in trouble thanks to the huge amount of overcapacity in the industry, warns the CEO of a logistics company.
Hanjin, which had around 3 percent of market share in shipping, filed for court receivership at the end of August, which has meant that its ships have been denied access to ports and, in some cases, have been seized.
One result of Hanjin's troubles is that shipping rates have spiked. Prices for shipments between Asia and the U.S. have risen 50 percent through September, according to data from Freightos, an online shipping rate marketplace. However, this is likely to prove temporary, as prices will fluctuate and currently empty container slots are brought into use, the company added.
Not only have shipping rates risen, but companies which were using Hanjin have received charges from some ports, according to Philip Damas, director for supply chain advisors at Drewry.
"Some ports have imposed surcharges on exporters and importers who used Hanjin as a carrier and are waiting for their products in the destination port to cover the port costs unpaid by Hanjin. This is also increasing exporters' costs," he told CNBC in an email.
Hanjin has been a shock to the system, but a glut in the number of ships carrying goods around the world is still an issue, warns Dr. Zvi Schreiber, CEO of Freightos, an online logistics marketplace.
"There has been a significant overcapacity, which is why rates have been so low and that's why Hanjin went bankrupt in the first place, but it's not clear if that's enough," Schreiber told CNBC in a phone interview on Thursday.
"Hanjin is only 3 percent of world trade and it seems the overcapacity in the industry is more than that. This is just one of the painful steps for the industry correcting its overcapacity, but there may be more."
The shipping industry is in dire straits. Because of overcapacity, shipping rates have fallen and the value of vessels has dropped. A market report released last week by market analyst's VesselsValue showed that the total number ships being sold for demolition for all ship types had risen 50 percent this August, compared to the same month last year.
Schreiber outlined three scenarios which may help solve the overcapacity issue: economic growth; further collapse; or consolidation.
"Perhaps the world economy will get back into growth and catch up with capacity, which would be the best solution for everyone. If there's economic growth and people are buying more products again, then you can utilise the capacity better," Schreiber said.
"I'm afraid we'll see more collapse," he warned. "There could easily be another bankruptcy or two. I hope not, but that certainly can happen."
Shipping companies are likely to merge and consolidate, and this could support prices, according to Damas.
"We expect that the rapid consolidation of the shipping line industry through carrier failures and M&As, the inability of most shipping lines to continue the current price war and the possible avoidance by exporters of financially vulnerable shipping lines will push shipping rates up even after the short-term market shock caused by Hanjin," he said.
However, Schreiber warned that consolidation may have some negative consequences.
"If you have consolidation and fewer players, they could find it easier to fix prices and keep them high, which would be good for them, but we don't want to go back to a situation of cartels and price fixing in the industry," said Schreiber.
Follow CNBC International on and Facebook.


text:
21 Jan in LiveAmerican President Joe Biden's inauguration heralds the return of the iconic and famous Shure Presidential Pair SM57 microphone setup.
Posts by Bob Malkowski
18 Jan in LiveReleased today at NAMM 2021, the new Mackie SRT Professional Powered Speakers boast a lot of power and a lot of technology in a compact package.
31 Dec 2020 in LiveOur pick of the Top 5 Live Gear of 2020 is here! Undoubtedly a bad year for live music, but a great one for innovative new live gear releases!
19 Nov 2020 in LiveThe MD435 and MD445 are two new premium live vocal microphones from mic meisters at Sennheiser - boy are we looking forward to digging into the specs!
18 Nov 2020 in LiveThe Peavey Aureus mixing console marks Peavey's move into the digital era. Enough to tempt us away from the current industry standards?
12 Nov 2020 in LiveBehringer has finally shown their hand in the podcasting and streaming market with the FLOW8 digital mixer bringing the fight to Zoom and RODE.
09 Nov 2020 in LivePreSonus CDL12P PA speaker system offers you a stripped-down, no-nonsense version of PreSonus' flagship speaker. A PA loudspeaker bargain?
29 Oct 2020 in LiveLooking for a lightweight, portable PA system? The redesigned and newly upgraded BOSE L1 Pro could be for you. But 17 years on, does the BOSE L1 concept still stand up?
27 Oct 2020 in StudioThe Shure MV7 podcast microphone has just dropped - could this the dream mic for podcasters and gamers? Inspired by the SM7B, we expect to see the MV7 on podcasts everywhere soon...
26 Oct 2020 in LiveThe new Behringer DI4800A gives you a four-channel DI box, signal booster and line isolator in one rack mount box. A credible rethink of the DI Box format?
22 Oct 2020 in LiveShure's DuraPlex subminiature microphone is designed to withstand water, dust and dirt. Could this be the ideal choice for location recording and theatre work?


text:
- No categories
In a joint statement, the countries` heads of state and government said the trade agreement would be a decisive part of their post-pandemic recovery plans that forced countries around the world to block their economies. The Peterson Institute for International Economics argues that “the ISDS provisions in the TPP are a significant improvement over previous agreements.”  PiIE notes that the ISDS mechanism in the TPP complies with environmental, health and safety rules; Ensure transparency in litigation procedures and eliminates shopping in the forum.  PIIE asserts that some of the innovations contained in the TPP`s ISDS rules “are generally rejected by the U.S. business community.”  Piie asserts that ISDS rules are necessary because they stimulate investment: “Empirical evidence has shown that contracts, including these provisions, have a positive impact on foreign direct investment flows between signatory countries.”  PIIE challenges the assertion that ISDS “lacks integrity to arbitrators” and finds that arbitrators take an oath of impartiality and elect both parties in a case to arbitrators.  PiIE agrees that secrecy has gone too far in many ISDS cases, but notes that “TPP negotiators have opened up greater transparency to these criticisms” and ISDS cases.  An Indonesian product containing, for example, Australian coins could expect tariffs elsewhere in the Asean Free Trade Area. Southeast Asian heads of state and government met in Bangkok for a three-day, trade-dominated summit. ASEAN members are working to finalize a China-backed plan for the creation of the world`s largest free trade area. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev criticized the TPP and said that “the WTO is under attack” and that this could lead to “the destruction of world trade”.
[Citation required] Dean Baker argued that Article 18.78, which requires countries to ensure that they should protect trade secrets and criminally prosecute offenders, could be used to enforce non-competition agreements.  Baker points out that California`s success is due in part to the state`s failure to authorize the application of non-compete agreements, which has allowed technology workers to give up their jobs and work for another company.  The largest free trade agreement in history was signed over the weekend and 15 countries in the Asia-Pacific region agreed to sign. Overall, the agreement will cover 30% of global GDP and the world`s population to exceed the level of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Economics professor Emily J. Blanchard of Dartmouth argues: That the TPP has been severely criticized by the political left, but that progressives were supposed to support the TPP: “The TPP`s promise to create a new progressive regulatory framework – an agreement applicable against child labour and discrimination in the workplace, measures to punish illegal exploitation and trade in protected species and protection from fraud not important on the progressive agenda of the global agenda.”  Although the TPP has not been adopted, the agreement had already introduced forms of regulatory cooperation for agriculture that go beyond those found in the WTO.  This means that regulators have come into contact and established trust among various signatories to the TPP.  Chad P. Bown, senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, argues that this regulatory cooperation has resulted in the U.S.
poultry industry not being so hard hit by the 2015 avian influenza outbreak, as regulators in TPP countries cooperated and continued to accept U.S. poultry exports.  The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), also known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, was a draft trade agreement between Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam and the United States, signed on February 4, 2016. After the withdrawal of the signature of the United States


text:
Outdoor apparel and equipment brand Patagonia is now owned by two newly created non-profit entities in the hopes of combatting climate change. The brand’s founder, Yvon Chouinard, announced the transfer of ownership this week, to take effect immediately.
The rest of the shares will now fund the new Patagonia Purpose Trust that follows the same vision. Talk about a bold move in seeking action for a bigger purpose.
Prior to this decision, Patagonia has always been vocal about its stand on various social causes, be it reproductive rights, environmental action, equality, and more.
Comments, questions or feedback? Email us at [email protected].


text:
LaunchVic and Agriculture Victoria have awarded grants to three entrepreneurship programs in the AgTech sector that are designed to equip aspiring entrepreneurs with the skills to turn an idea into a business. Grants of $600,000 each were given to the following start-ups and their respective pre-accelerator programs:
- Farmers2Founders, a specialist agrifood tech service provider, will run their Hatch Ideas Pre-Accelerator and a self-paced Online Journey Starter Program that can reach founders throughout regional Victoria, among other initiatives.
- Impact-focused provider Rocket Seeder will assemble entrepreneurs and researchers to solve some of regional Victoria’s biggest challenges with their AgTech Seeds Pre-Accelerator Program, while also bridging the gap between the agricultural industry and research.
- SproutX will be launching The Business of Agriculture, in partnership with the University of Melbourne to support non-traditional participants in Victoria’s start-up ecosystem, including farmers or regional Victorian high school graduates.
The grants were awarded as part of the $2.2 million Victorian AgTech Entrepreneurs Initiative, first announced by LaunchVic and Agriculture Victoria last September, that aims to help scale existing on-farm ideas and attract more innovators to agriculture – one of the state’s largest export sectors.
“Victoria is Australia’s largest agriculture producer by value, but our research shows the AgTech sector remains small and underdeveloped, with less than 40 AgTech start-ups active across the state,” LaunchVic CEO Dr Kate Cornick said.
“LaunchVic wants to see these numbers change, so we’re backing pre-accelerator programs that support people in the agriculture sector with big ideas and early-stage entrepreneurs who want to launch and grow start-ups,” Dr Cornick added. “Not only does this increase the number of start-ups in our state, it can provide a new source of income for farmers and create new technology that improves productivity and sustainability in one of our most important industries.”
Those interested in taking part in the pre-accelerator programs can sign up for a free Information Session run by LaunchVic here.
This story originally appeared in our sister publication, Inside Small Business.


text:
Search For "small and medium enterprises"
Updated : 2 years, 11 months ago IST
Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Feb.16 (ANI): There will be huge potential to start small businesses in India and the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) is providing necessary support and encouragement to young students and entrepreneurs for coming up with commercially viable sou
New Delhi [India], Feb 15 (ANI): India Transact Services Ltd. (ITSL), an omni-channel merchant digital payment solutions company and a Group company of AGS Transact Technologies Ltd., is strengthening its merchant acquisition portfolio by enabling loans to micro, small and medium enterprises
New Delhi [India] February 8 (ANI): The Centre on Wednesday approved a change in the basis of classifying Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) from 'investment in plant and machinery/equipment' to 'annual turnover' to encourage ease of doing business.
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], Feb 7 (ANI): In a bid to relieve Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) of payment-related woes, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday announced that select companies would be provided additional time to repay loans.
New Delhi [India], Feb 1 (ANI): Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday claimed that the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are an engine of growth and employment.
Updated : 2 years, 12 months ago IST
New Delhi [India], Jan 30 (ANI): Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Giriraj Singh and Minister of State (Independent Charge) Communications Manoj Sinha on Tuesday jointly launched the khadi uniforms for the India Post staff.
New Delhi [India], Jan 30 (ANI): Aye Finance, a new-age finance company providing business loans to the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) announced that it has disbursed loans worth Rs. 500 crore to 40,000 customers since its inception in March 2014.
Updated : 3 years ago IST
New Delhi [India], Jan 4 (ANI): Leading online travel portal Yatra on Thursday launched a self-booking platform for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) to provide its corporate customers with comprehensive and convenient travel solutions.
Updated : 3 years, 1 month ago IST
New Delhi [India], Dec 6 (ANI): The Management Development Institute (MDI) Gurugram recently hosted a two-day workshop for the Chairman/CEOs of the State Khadi and Village Industries Boards (KVIBs) and State Directors of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) in collaboration
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], Dec 5 (ANI): The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector in Tier II and Tier III cities in India are at-par with their counterparts in metros in terms of revenue and growth, according to Bengaluru based on-demand payments firm Instamojo.
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], Dec 4 (ANI): The Global Network for entrepreneurs was launched during the Global Entrepreneurship Summit GES 2017 in Hyderabad aiming at providing a one-stop solution for assisting start-ups and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to set their feet.
Updated : 3 years, 2 months ago IST
Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], Nov 24 (ANI-NewsVoir): The Bhubaneswar Road to Entrepreneurship Summit was inaugurated by Prafulla Samal, Minister, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Women and Child Development, Government of Odisha.


text:
COUGAR, leading brand in the gaming peripherals sector, is proud to announce today the launch of a new addition to the 700M Gaming Mouse series: COUGAR 700M eSports. Based on last year's revolutionary design that made 700M one of the most desired gaming mice of the market, the 700M eSports version comes to offer a new choice for gamers. This new mouse includes most of 700M's features and adds a radically different look, with a new coating that sets it apart from the vast majority of the market both in appearance and in tactile feel.
This new product comes in two different colors, White and Red, which stand apart from the mainstream looks of ordinary mice. Adorned with motives inspired by competitive events, this new mouse is a limited edition. With a high-end 8200 DPI Laser sensor and 8 buttons, 700M eSports is today one of the best choices a gamer can get his hands on. For those who want something truly different, now is the time to set oneself above the crowd.
For more information, visit the product page.
Recommended for You
Latest News Posts
- MSI Afterburner now has hardware plot graphics
- Google Glass updated with additional features
- PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds pulls in $100 million
- SpaceX successfully launches and lands a used rocket
- LG V30 rumored to support wireless charging
- Computer freeze and audio buzz issue
- AZZA Photios 250 Mid-Tower Chassis Review
- Ecurrency hack software
- Team T-Force Dark ROG DDR4-3000 16GB Memory Kit Review
- GA-X58A-UD3R wake on lan problem
- Logitech Circle 2 will be compatible with Amazon Echo Show
- Synology introduces DiskStation DS1517 and DS1817
- Deep Silver and 4A Games are proud to announce Metro Exodus
- Microsoft premieres Xbox One X, world's most powerful console
- Phison gears up for mobile phone market with PS8226 3D NAND eMMC 5.1 controller


text:
20 March 2019
Millennials Have the Future of Retail Right in the Palm of Their Hands
- Photo: Millennials: Digitally-bred and expecting online functionality in the real-world retail environment. (Shutterstock.com)
- Photo: Gaming-spawned: Bike-sharing.
- Photo: New Coke: The zombie brand king.
- Photo: The Consumer Goods Forum Global Summit: Bringing together retail chief executives and technologists.
With the post-1980-born generation soon to have the whip-hand when it comes to dominating global consumer spend, retailers need to factor in the preferences of these digital natives if they truly plan to stick around for the long term.
The most recent Global Summit of the Consumer Goods Forum took place in Singapore in the wake of a KPMG report that boldly stated: "Today's consumer and retail market is beyond disruption. As a sure sign of this, 70% of Chief Executives believe that the next two to three years will be more transformational than the last 50." Sensationally overstating the case or an apt reflection of the current realities of the retail landscape? Well, that was just one of the issues addressed by this annual mega-gathering of retail chiefs, financiers, senior governmental figures and academics from around the world.
Championing his company's take on the emerging new world order, Willy Kruh, the Global Chair of KPMG's Consumer & Retail Division, said: "As companies face continuous disruption, internally and externally, those that cannot authentically connect with their customers will get left behind.
"This rate of disruption means that most current business models will not survive, meaning that many physical stores will have to close or be reinvented, while channels relationships will change and there will be an increasing focus on social purpose – with the latter development driven by millennials, a demographic that now accounts for US$2.75 trillion in global sales every year."
Focusing more on the particular challenge represented by millennials, Kevin Lee, Managing Partner of China Youthology, a Beijing-headquartered specialist in generational trends analysis, said: "Born between 1981 and 1996, they are digital natives, having grown up on and with the internet. For the first time, their identities were formed and expressed online before they were offline. Social media use does not reflect their identities but helped constitute them.
"The values they have learned online also affect what they do offline. The bike-rental schemes we see popping up around the world, that let you just pick up a cycle and then drop it off after use? It is really drawn from gaming, a realm where players can use and then discard tools and weapons as they see fit. It is incumbent upon retailers to know, in particular, just what appeals to this demographic."
Addressing the wider issues facing retailers, Emmanuel Faber, Chief Executive of Danone, the French health-oriented food group, said: "Assumptions that have been held for 50 years or more are now being challenged by consumers, many of whom are actively looking for alternative ways to buy food. Never before has there been such a wide range of local brands, many of them produced by businesses with a clear sense of purpose. If large retailers and manufacturers are unable to match that purpose, they will continue to lose share, point by point."
Sharing just how his own business is meeting that particular challenge, James Quincey, Chief Executive of the Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Company, said: "We currently operate in 207 countries and territories and we are continually learning lessons in all of them. In particular, we have been keen to reinvent our analogue practices in line with the digital age.
"To that end, we have aggressively built a consumer-centric portfolio. Implicit in that is our obsession with understanding consumers, listening to them and learning about what beverages they want, what they want delivered in them and what they want from the packaging, while also getting a handle on their health and wellness concerns.
"For much of our history, we have been a one-product company. Now we are a total beverage company. We create, nurture and set out to keep our brands relevant. In so doing, we need to have the courage to recognise when that is not working and to kill 'zombie' products."
For David Taylor, Chairman, President and Chief Executive of Proctor & Gamble, the Ohio-headquartered multinational consumer-goods group, retail success was as much about factoring in technological changes as it was about maintaining brand equity. Expanding upon this, he said: "Technology is now dominating the way that consumers connect with retailers and manufacturers. While it may well never again be business as usual, this particular disruption brings with it real opportunities.
"Only 45% of the world's population has access to the internet right now, but that will increase to about 76% within the next 12 years. Our research also shows that shoppers who go online spend more both online and offline. Similarly, the world will be home to an additional billion people by 2030, while millennials will be reaching their peak earning years, with more than two billion of them then over the age of 50.
"Growth in retail, meanwhile, will come via data / analytics, innovative partnerships and sustainability plans. Combining our data with that of our retail partners will allow both parties to better understand the precise requirements of local markets, as well as giving us the facility to improve our production planning."
While "disruption" was the word on most speakers' lips, Ian McLeod, Chief Executive of Dairy Farm, a Hong King-based food processor and wholesaler, was a little more sanguine about the future of retail. Arguing that the sector had faced analogous challenges in the past, he said: "I first heard that retail was dying back in 1999. While physical stores have been closing of late, the largest online players have now themselves started to move into offline.
"For the incumbents to survive, though, overcoming the tendency towards complacency and denial is vital, with staying relevant to the consumer very much the key. In the three decades I've spent working in retail, I've seen us thrive thanks to rapid feedback on decision-making and implementation. What is happening now, however, is that the decision cycle has been abbreviated dramatically, a development largely driven by technology.
"We have to grow and adapt to change, while learning how to manage data and applying AI techniques. We also need to recognise just how quickly we are becoming a cashless society, with instant payment being made both online and via mobile. Significantly, 80% of Chinese retail is already cashless, with Bingo Box [a chain of unmanned convenience stores now operating in 30 cities across China] even cashierless. If you want to see the future of retail, don't look West – look East."
The Global Summit of the Consumer Goods Forum took place at Singapore's Marina Bay Sands Convention Center.
Ronald Hee, Special Correspondent, Singapore


text:
By Jeremy Pelofsky
U.S. wireless companies face new competition on Wednesday as they
start bidding on licenses for advanced wireless services like
high-speed Internet -- from the satellite and cable television
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission will auction 1,122 licenses
that analysts predict may raise $15 billion and last several
weeks. The 168 bidders, including the top cable and satellite
providers, have made $4.3 billion in deposits.
"That appears to indicate strong industry interest in the spectrum,
though some of the parties may be more serious than others," Stifel,
Nicolaus & Co. analysts said in an August 4 research note.
Wireless companies are eager for additional airwaves as they expand
new offerings like video service and high-speed Internet
access. Companies reported an eight-fold jump to more than 3 million
subscribers in the last six months of 2005.
The sale comes as telecommunications and television providers are
battling to attract consumers to a package of voice, Internet and
video services, including wireless. Some consumers are also moving
away from traditional phone service.
The auction of 90 Megahertz (Mhz) of spectrum will kick off on
Wednesday with two rounds of bidding and expand to three rounds on
Thursday and subsequent business days until there are no new bids or
There is some risk that the sale could fall short of predictions
because some bidders may prefer to wait for airwaves television
broadcasters are giving up in 2009. That spectrum is seen as more
desirable because it transmits further and can more easily penetrate
MEDIA COMPANIES IN THE GAME
The biggest downpayment, $972.5 million, came from a joint venture of
U.S. satellite television rivals, DirecTV Group Inc. and EchoStar
Communications Corp. but also includes media conglomerate Liberty
It was followed by $637.7 million from a group of cable operators --
including the top two Comcast Corp. and Time Warner Inc. -- that have
joined forces with No. 3 wireless carrier Sprint Nextel Corp..
"We are surprised with the strong interest from the satellite and
cable (with Sprint) companies," said Bear Stearns analyst Phil Cusick
in a July 31 research note. The companies have not disclosed details
of their plans if they win.
The auction is especially critical for No. 4 U.S. carrier T-Mobile
USA, a unit of Germany's Deutsche Telekom AG, because it does not have
as much spectrum. The company put down $583.5 million.
"We expect T-Mobile USA to bid aggressively for spectrum in several of
the major markets (especially New York) as it has less spectrum than
the other national wireless carriers," Exane BNP Paribas analyst
Stuart Birdt said in a research note.
He estimated that the carrier had about 25 Mhz of airwaves in the top
25 markets but only 20 Mhz in New York, less than half compared to the
three bigger carriers.
Other qualified bidders include No. 1 provider Cingular Wireless, a
joint venture of AT&T Inc. and BellSouth Corp., and Verizon Wireless,
the No. 2 carrier. It is a venture between Verizon Communications and
Vodafone Group Plc.
Another bidder drawing attention is money manager Mario Gabelli. He
and 38 affiliates agreed last month to pay $130 million to settle a
government probe into whether they improperly took advantage of
discounts offered to smaller bidders in past FCC wireless auctions. He
Gabelli, who heads the $28 billion asset management group Gamco
Investors Inc., has ties in the upcoming sale to the venture Lynch AWS
Corp., which has paid a $1.5 million downpayment.
Copyright 2006 Reuters Limited.
NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the
daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at
http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new
articles daily. And, discuss this and other topics in our forum at
For more news and headlines each day, please go to:


text:
In today’s world of pollution and other environmental issues devices like Sony’s new Emergency Radios ICF-B08 and the ICD-B88 are just what you need. Providing what one could consider alternative options for powering you’re up your devices while providing some … .
Category : Media Devices
Sony’s getting ready to launch a couple of new mini-component systems that will tease your auditory senses with some wireless communication features. Two models viz. the CMT-SBT100 and the higher end, loaded-to-the-hilt-with-wireless-features CMT-SBT300W will be out next month. Both of … .
2013 has been the year of Ultra HD TV screens, since the CES show that took place in January companies like Sony and Samsung have teased us with their mammoth sized eye popping UHD displays. Despite being astronomically priced we … .
Sharp Japan has announced two new models to its Aquos UD1 range of LCD TV’s. The mammoth 70 and 60 inch TV’s will come with a 4K panel supporting a resolution of (3,840 x 2,160 pixels). Sharp will be making … .
People with hearing disability entirely rely on subtitles to enjoy movies; lack of proper support keeps them away from movie theatres, but not anymore! Sony Entertainment Access Glasses will give the deaf a way to watch the new releases in … .
Are you an audiophile looking for a premium quality portable player? iRiver’s AK120 is one hell of an option. If you’re in a mood to splurge, then this $1300 music player will definitely give you a ticket to exclusivity. In … .
Shure completed its 88 years on April 25th 2013, and to commemorate its 88th birthday the brand launched its flagship in-ear headphones. The SE846 will feature 4 balanced drivers – 2 low freq, 1 mid freq, and 1 high freq … .
LG unveiled the world’s first curved OLED TV at the CES in January this year, it was described as convention-breaking and stunning by those who witnessed it. We won’t have to wait too long to buy one, LG in a … .
When we talk of top of the line display technology, then it’s got to be the massive fad of 4K displays hounding us. However, these generous resolution displays have little to offer along with them, as accessories. Hence, we take … .
Every headphone user yearns for a good bass reproduction from their headsets, well there’s some good news! JVC Kenwood, Japan, has come up with 2 all new headphones with its “Live Beat” technology to recreate mind-numbing “Boom”. HA-SZ2000 and HA-SZ1000, … .
Sharp, Japan, unveiled a new 24” LCD TV “Sumahoraifu AQUOS LC-24MX1” which will be available by 24th May. The speciality of the TV screen is that it is heavily integrated with smartphone connectivity; the content stored in the phone can … .
Reaching out for the remote placed below your television screen beats the purpose of being a couch potato-turnip-pumpkin, right? Well, soon you simply will not have to use a remote control to flick the channels and control the television screen’s … .
The aspect of a remote with a cool display and universal capabilities is always eluding us. It was a fad a few years ago but off-late, a natural slump has been observed. Just why we are all perked up with … .
We are quite full to the brim with the hoard of Bluetooth speakers being fed to us in generous doses and iHome does no less to curb the overkill. So, we have four swanky new versions from the accessory giants. … .
James Cameron, the king of special effects, has been credited with producing some of the best visually captivating theatrical masterpieces. But now he’s working to bring the magic to home entertainment. His 3D technology company Cameron-Pace Group has teamed up … .


text:
Microsoft is all set to take over Nokia devices and services segment for a whooping $7 billion transaction. The struggling Finnish company has slid from its top position which it held a decade earlier. The battleground has changed drastically since then for both these companies. Earlier, when Nokia was at the helm, Microsoft too ruled the roost with it's services which was unchallenged then.
Present is very tense for Microsoft
Microsoft's dominance is sliding with the raise of Apple and Android line of smartphones and tablets. These new handheld devices have started to eat significantly into notebooks and desktop space significantly. Apps are the new buzzword for the developers and apps are breeding in iOS and android ecosystems. The software has been heading south in preference for apps. Windows 8 devices have failed to take off as expected. Lumia series from Nokia is just a silver lining as of now. Microsoft admits, rather in a veiled manner that Surface RT was a mistake. Xbox is not making great money for Microsoft. The only thing Microsoft has to contend with is it's services which has been always on a positive surge.
Even Google does not want to be everywhere
Google has been phasing out several of it's applications and services. Popular services like Google Reader too has taken a hit. Google has begun to understand that it cannot be everywhere and improvising on their expertise arena is the best way to go ahead. On the other hand Microsoft right now is trying out too many things. Apart from services, it has a bing search engine, surface line of tablets, gaming as in Xbox and finally now into the smartphone war with Nokia's acquisition.


text:
To help booksellers promote Kobo’s “eRead Local” program, the American Booksellers Association is offering a choice of teal, white, or purple web banners in BookWeb’s DIY Designs & Downloads. The images can be used on store websites to alert visitors about a special $5 credit available to new customers who create a Kobo account through an ABA member affiliate. The 100-day initiative to encourage customers to give eReading a try launched on August 24 and runs through November 29.
Each new customer who creates a Kobo account through an affiliate ABA member store’s website during the promotion will receive a $5 credit for use toward their first purchase of one of four million eBooks available from the Kobo catalog. Additionally, ABA member stores will receive $5 for each new Kobo customer they acquire.
Once a customer has signed up through an affiliate ABA member, the store will benefit from every subsequent Kobo eBook purchase. ABA members that acquire 100 new customers or more will be entered for a chance to win an in-store event with a bestselling author, while those that acquire at least 50 new customers become eligible to win Kobo eReaders for in-store customer contests.
ABA member stores interested in joining the eRead Local program should contact Natalie Jefferson, partner manager, North America, Rakuten Kobo, at firstname.lastname@example.org.


text:
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Posted: 02/22/2013 1:00 AM | Comments: 0
CHICAGO -- Safeway Inc. advanced the most ever Thursday after the second-largest U.S. grocery chain reported fourth-quarter profit that exceeded analysts' estimates on higher stores sales.
The shares climbed 14 per cent to $22.97 at the close in New York for the biggest gain since the company's 1990 initial public offering.
Safeway is working to compete with big-box retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. with its grocery and fuel loyalty programs.
Net income in the quarter ended Dec. 29 rose 13 percent to $244 million, or $1.02 a share, from $215.6 million, or 67 cents, a year earlier, the Pleasanton, Calif.-based company said in a statement Thursday. Excluding gains from legal settlements, profit was 94 cents a share. Analysts estimated 76 cents, the average of 19 projections compiled by Bloomberg.
Revenue increased 1.2 per cent to $13.8 billion, helped by higher gift- and prepaid-card sales and an 0.8 per cent gain in identical-store sales, excluding fuel.
Safeway has advanced 27 per cent this year compared with a gain of 4.4 percent for the Standard & Poor's 500 Food Retail Index. The company has about 1,640 stores in the U.S. and Canada.
-- Bloomberg News
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 22, 2013 B7
Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.
Having problems with the form?Contact Us Directly
M & L placed in receivership, 100 workers laid off
NYC union: Cops not to blame for drugged-out death
River City snaring global customers
South American food chains use Florida as US gate
'New normal' may not be so normal, after all
50-state look at how Common Core playing out in US
Time to ditch rising stocks, or stick with them?
Obama on Labor Day: Don't take rights for granted
Tax forms could pose challenge for HealthCare.gov
Finely crafted opening
Cash -- such an old-fashioned currency
The 'sandwich' dilemma
Paying it forward to yourself
Confidence key when changing careers
Bed? That'll be extra


text:
There are certain products that people born now will have no concept of ever existing. Fax machines. VCRs. Landlines. But rental cars? Rental cars have long been a stable, integral part of the travel experience, and almost every traveler alive has rented a car at some point. But in the age of ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft, and peer-to-peer car-sharing services, conventional wisdom says that rental cars may soon go the way of Blockbuster and become obsolete. But has the sharing economy really hurt rental-car companies that much, and if so, how are the established giants going to stay relevant? Here, Matador investigates the future of the industry and whether or not rental cars can, in fact, survive.
Rental car companies are still making money. For now.
Though one might think technology has done a number on rental companies, it’s not time to hit the panic button quite yet. “We’re lucky not to be impacted too much by Uber or Lyft,” says Daniel Florence, CEO of North American operations for Sixt, a European car rental company that’s become a major player in America. “You’re not going to come with your wife or husband and four kids and Uber everywhere. So there’s always a need.”
And revenues aren’t exactly plummeting. Hertz, which includes Dollar and Thrifty, brought in about $8.8 billion in 2017, pretty much the same as 2016. Avis, still trying harder, saw revenues up two percent to $8.8 billion in 2017. Enterprise self-reported over $16 billion in revenue last year, up nearly $900 million. So car-rental companies aren’t exactly hemorrhaging cash. But that doesn’t mean they can ignore the changing tides.
Peer-to-peer sharing could put a dent in the budget market.
Though Uber and Lyft aren’t crippling car-rental companies the way people think, peer-to-peer car sharing might creep in and take some of the budget-rental segment.
Turo is probably the best-known of the new options. The service allows private parties to rent their cars with full insurance for however much they’d like to through other private parties, all through a convenient smartphone app. Often this allows travelers — or those needing just a short trip — the flexibility to rent an older, cheaper car when a newer model isn’t required. Or to rent someone’s Tesla for the day for a lot less than Exotic Car Rental agencies charge. It’s billed itself as the Airbnb of rental cars, but it hasn’t quite put the scare into the rental-car industry that its lodging counterpart did into hotels.
Beyond Turo, there is also TravelCar, a company that offers the double advantage of free parking and free money for people traveling out of town — and cheaper, nicer rental cars for visitors. Essentially, TravelCar lets you park for free in its lot then rents your car out to someone else while you’re away. It takes a cut of that fee, gases up your car and washes it, and has it ready for you when you return. For renters, the prices average about $17 a day, which makes it appealing for budget-conscious travelers.
“Anyone who wants a few extra bucks for an activity, or that’s just excited to save so much on a rental car, that’s who we’re hearing the most from,” says TravelCar Marketing Director Kimberly Wanson. TravelCar is only in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orlando, and Chicago for now but may expand as demand rises.
Short-term car-sharing services like Zipcar have been around for a while, but even that segment is seeing some sexier new alternatives. In Seattle, BMW offers by-the-minute rentals of 700 BMWs and minis for people needing cars for a short time through its ReachNow service. The app offers an upscale alternative to companies like Car2Go and Zipcar (plus free admission to local state parks), which have also taken some of the single-day rental market away from the traditional heavyweights.
Again, the numbers say none of these new entrants have put too much of a crunch on rental-car companies, but the smart ones are already looking to adapt.
Big companies find their niche and enter into new markets.
Perhaps the best example of a rental-car company positioning itself for the 21st century is Sixt, the sleek, sexy, bright orange booth renting exotic and luxury cars. Where rental cars have traditionally been a commodity, Sixt is taking a cue from countless “marketing to millennials” articles and focusing on experiential travel.
“Our adaptation has been to make renting a car experiential and different,” says Sixt’s Florence. “We’re trying to be a brand and not just a commodity and bring something a little different to the market. We’re giving you a chance to drive a car you wouldn’t normally be able to drive, under six months old, under 25,000 miles. It’s creating an experience where people become fans of the brand.”
Sixt has waiting areas a little reminiscent of Virgin’s boarding lounges with calming music, water, coffee, and soothing lighting to make the sometimes-infuriating line process enjoyable. These sorts of differentiators have not only allowed the company to charge a premium but made it different enough in customers’ eyes that they’ll continue to rent from Sixt even when other options exist. The attitude recently garnered Sixt 14 World Travel Awards and an award from Trazee as the top brand for millennials.
But bigger, more traditional companies with different brand images are finding ways to adapt, too.
Enterprise, now far-and-away the industry leader, has branched into everything from ride sharing to vanpooling to increase revenues. Its vansharing program, aimed at carpooling commuters, takes an estimated 100,000 passengers a day and has been in operation since 1994. In 2013, Enterprise also purchased Zimride, an online ride-matching and carpooling service. And its CarShare and CarClub programs are helping Enterprise maintain a presence in the short-term rental market as people move away from its once-convenient “We’ll pick you up” program.
Avis, for its part, quietly purchased the car-sharing company Zipcar in 2013. It hired a new head of fleet ventures this year who is looking for ways to help the company stay relevant. Sixt already has a ride-hailing app in Europe called myDriver. Hertz, the onetime industry titan, seems to be the slowest to adapt and hasn’t done a whole lot to differentiate its services. Though that may change as automated cars begin to hit the road.
Maintenance may be the key to keeping traditional rental-car companies alive.
The same conventional wisdom that says Uber and Lyft are destroying car rentals also says automated cars are the wave of the ride-hailing future. So take that for what it’s worth. But assuming massive fleets of self-driving cars become the vehicle for both Uber and Lyft, those cars will require large-scale washing, repairs, and maintenance.
And if there’s one thing big rental-car companies know how to do, it’s take care of hundreds of thousands of cars. In its most innovative move, Hertz reached an agreement with Apple, providing cars to test its automated vehicle ventures. Avis reached a similar agreement with Alphabet’s Waymo, and Enterprise says it has already been contacted by several companies looking to leverage its expertise in fleet maintenance. This seemingly puts all of them in the proverbial drivers’ seat for maintenance contracts when they become needed.
This expertise may well be how big car-rental companies stay relevant as newer, easier alternatives come to market — though demand will probably never disappear.
“I don’t see the rental-car business ever completely going away,” says Sixt’s Florence. “It’s an essential part of travel and tourism. But it will morph into something that’s more about experiential things when it’s about travel.”
That means that as long as people still want to experience a new destination from behind the wheel, rental-car companies will still have a function. While budget-conscious travelers will likely look to peer-sharing like Turo or TravelCar, and short-term renters will use car shares, big companies will survive by diving into those markets, as well. They’ll also survive by using the processes they’ve perfected in maintenance and fleet management to service automated cars. Uber and Lyft might not have taken the toll on rental cars that everyone thinks, but it’s hard to deny that the industry is smack in a wave of disruption. And if nothing else, it will be fascinating to see what’s left when that wave finally recedes.


text:
With less than a week until Christmas, retailers and shoppers alike are scrambling to the finish line.
You can thank the blustery snow and cold that’s been whipping through half the nation for this. The lousy weather tempered traffic at shopping centers and malls last weekend, at a time they’d ordinarily be hectic. As a result, this last weekend before Christmas, what’s referred to as Super Saturday, is a bigger do-or-die stretch than typical.
“Storms across much of the country dampened traffic and sales, setting this weekend up to be even more important than it already was,” says Ken Perkins, president of Retail Metrics, a consulting business.
NPD Group’s Shop-o-Meter, which tracks how much of their shopping consumers have completed was at 44% as of Tuesday. “It should be at least at 50% by this time,” says Marshal Cohen, NPD’s chief industry analyst. Retailers know that there are plenty of procrastinators out there and plan accordingly, but this is clearly not the norm.
“It’s coming down to crunch time where a lot of retailers will want to make up some lost ground,” says Cohen, who spends his days counting shopping bags at the mall, interviewing shoppers, and tracking bargains. On Tuesday, he rated the mall he visited moderately busy.
“We’ve gotten to the point where retailers almost can’t make up” the lost spending, he adds. Now, many just want to unload as much inventory as possible by Dec. 24.
There are many reasons why consumers put off Christmas shopping until the last minute, and lousy weather is chief among them. So too is the hope that prices will drop dramatically as the days before Christmas tick down. But this year has been different; the National Retail Federation on Monday said it’s “turning out to be a holiday season like no other.”
Certainly, Thanksgiving’s late showing in the season is one plausible explanation. We all know that Christmas falls on Dec. 25 every year, no matter what, but we somehow can’t all embrace the holiday and its trimmings until after we get through the one before it. We complain about Christmas decorations on sale before Halloween and Thanksgiving now getting hijacked by pre-Black Friday sales, but few of us are diligent enough to really take advantage of all that.
When Thanksgiving in late November robs us of an extra weekend of shopping before Christmas we find ourselves pressed. Heck, some of us don’t even have all our holiday decorations up yet.
But another part of why this year “is like no other” is the on-again, off-again economy. The stock market is mostly on fire and people are starting to get hired again. But there’s a big chunk of the population that is unemployed, under employed, or leaving the workforce because they’re feeling just plain hopeless about finding a job.
The retail federation, for example, reports that a relatively high 42% of shoppers used their debit cards, the closest thing to cold, hard cash, to purchase gifts this year. Why does that matter? Because study after study shows that people spend more on credit cards than they do when they’re pulling dollars out of their wallets. When the cash is gone, it’s gone. Credit seemingly never runs out. Most people without jobs or with strained budgets aren’t likely to be running up big credit-card bills.
Five retail tricks that make you spend more
People like to believe they’re getting a good deal, particularly when Holiday shopping, even if they doubt stores are being honest. MarketWatch's Tom Bemis shows us five ways we’re being manipulated when navigating crowded malls. (Photo: AP)
And as sales results trickle in, it’s clear that people aren’t spending — at least not yet — to the degree that retailers had hoped. That means there’s unwanted inventory unmoved. It’s why you see stores like Toys ‘R’ Us planning to keep the lights on for 87 unremitting hours beginning Saturday at stores nationwide. (Its flagship in Times Square has been open for business since 8 a.m. Dec. 1, on track to hit 566 consecutive hours when it turns the lights off at 10 p.m. Christmas Eve.)
Many Wal-Mart stores already are open around the clock and a number of other retailers, like Macy’s, Nordstrom and Target, are extending their hours ahead of Christmas Eve. Some Macy’s stores, for example, will be open until 2 a.m. beginning Friday.
Not everything will be steeply marked down and some industry analysts aren’t banking on any really deep discounts until Dec. 26. Bill Martin, founder of ShopperTrak, which counts and analyzes retail shopper traffic, thinks retailers are unruffled by the sales results so far, even though his numbers showed in-store traffic last weekend plunged 20% compared with the same period last year. On Saturday alone, foot traffic dropped 26% and bricks-and-mortar retail sales slumped 5.4%.


text:
Nouriel Roubini Says- Bitcoin Price What Will Be?
The prominent market analyst thinks the cost of bitcoin will zero.
Roubini, who is otherwise called “Dr Doom,” asserted a few people will utilize a market control strategy known as wash exchanging to prop up the bitcoin cost.
He called bitcoin the “greatest rise in mankind’s history” a week ago.
Noted market analyst Nouriel Roubini thinks the cost of bitcoin will zero.
“Nouriel Roubini Says- Bitcoin Price What Will Be”? : The executive of Roubini Macro Associates, otherwise called “Dr Doom” for his cynical monetary viewpoints, called the value crash on Twitter on Tuesday.
Roubini responded to a Congressional hearing that the commandant giynocarlo, Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Director (CFTC) and J Clayton, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) administrator, responded to officials about digital currency.
The financial expert additionally utilized the term HODL, which remains for “hang on for dear life.” Itoriginated in an online discussion when somebody spelled “hold” off-base. It has now turned into an image and is regularly utilized as a part of times of extraordinary unpredictability in the cryptographic money advertise for individuals holding instead of offering.
Roubini said that “HODL nuts” will hold bitcoin until the point that it falls to zero.
Dr Doom likewise said that dealers will utilize wash exchanging to prop up the costs. Wash exchanging the crypto world includes somebody purchasing and pitching their own particular request to control markets. Some have expected that wash exchanging happens on bitcoin trades.
Roubini inquired as to whether the experts will investigate this training.
His tweets took after remarks on Bloomberg a week ago in which he called bitcoin the “greatest rise in mankind’s history.”
Cryptographic forms of money have seen a noteworthy auction over the most recent couple of days. Bitcoin fell beneath $6,000 out of the blue since mid-November on Tuesday. Other real digital forms of money are on the whole well off of their record-breaking highs.